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To me, the politics is not the issue. Did the student "tweet" on school time instead of learning? If so, then it doesn't matter if she tweeted about the governor or about a recipe for apple pie. She should end up in the principal's office, and kudos to the school system for disciplining her, and making sure that she is getting an education, regardless of whether or not her tweet was political in nature.

Of course there is an issue of her doing this on school time, but should the Governor's staff monitor this? I don't think so.

She never actually spoke to the governor. The principal has told her to write a letter of apology and has even given her talking points. She has gotten such support that she is not writing the letter.Brownback tweet, lessons learned - KansasCity.com

What I don't understand is what did the governor or his staff think was going to happen. Was the tweet of a teenager really worth all the attention that has been caused by their response? Did they think no one would hear about this?

~Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.
~I have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it.
~If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?
George Carlin

She never actually spoke to the governor. The principal has told her to write a letter of apology and has even given her talking points. She has gotten such support that she is not writing the letter.Brownback tweet, lessons learned - KansasCity.com

What I don't understand is what did the governor or his staff think was going to happen. Was the tweet of a teenager really worth all the attention that has been caused by their response? Did they think no one would hear about this?

A Kansas teen who refused to apologize to Gov. Sam Brownback for an insulting tweet got an apology today from the governor himself for his staff’s “over-reaction.”

An unpleasant tweet by Emma Sullivan, 18, was flagged by Brownback’s staff last week. The teen was told by her principal at Shawnee Mission East High School to apologize, but she refused. The national brouhaha has led to her Twitter following soar from 60 to more than 10,000.

“My staff over-reacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms,” Brownback said in a statement. ...

What I find amazing is we have higher standards for high school students than we do conservative members of congress. Remember the tweeting during the State of the Union and someone yelling out "you lie!"

“People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.”
*Adam Smith*